Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-15

bOASO Ao0 OSOu CEOOb OS4OlO AOW' NeA
never forget by whom l have been res
cued."
"Have care, fair lady, or your COM
ousy," said the Major with smile.
"He is terribly jealous-wanted to fight
Lsgona single handed-would hardly
trust me to 60 alone after you"
"All the jealousy which l ever feel
where you are concerned, Major, can be
put in your pipe and smoked out" said
Paul.
"Oh, no! 1 see. You think that Pm
like q bear-so rough and ugly that l
can't wake up the tender passion. But
mark you, Master Paul, bear is great on
hugging."
"If you always hug to so good pur-
pose as you did last night, you will win
applause-not blame," said Paul with 8
laugh.
And he rode up to the side of Stella,
and for the hundredth time at least
pressed her hand and looked the love
and Joy which no words could then ex-
press.
CHAPTER Xiv.
By the time the sun had reached its
meridian Mccullough and his party
nearly got to the fringe of timber before
spoken of, where he had left his gang of
prisoners under guard. But, while they
were yet mile or more distant, the keen
eyes of the ranger chief detected a long
line of dark specks far away in the rear
a black and swiftly rising mass; and, as
he pointed to it, ne said:
"There will be hair lost before SUM-
set"
"Are you pursued?" asked Mr.. De-
lorme.
eyes; the whole horde of Comanches
and Lipans are after US. They probably
num3er thousands; and, if we can't keep
out of their way, they'll run US down by
the mere weight of numbers. But they've
got to eat lead first" said the ranger,
grating his teeth.
"Our horses are already tired with
many days of travel; to escape by flight
will be impossible!" said Paul. "Their
horses are all fresh!"
"That's so," said the major, ''but I'll
tell you what you can do, Master Paul
your horse is a good one, and the one
Miss Stella rides can't be caught by any
four legs on the prairie. You ride on,
steering east, for dear life, with her and
her father, and We'll hold back and fight
the red devils and check the pursuit till
you get start which you can keep"
"Major Mccullough, you do not know
me-" said Paul, hastily, while the red
blood mounted through his cheek and up
to his very temples. 81 love Miss
Delorme, and I know that she loves me,
but she would despise me as much as l
would myself if left you to fight while
l tried to escape! No, sir-I do not leave
you, but share your fate, whatever
it is!'
"You are right, Paul; that is an
answer which makes you more dear to me
than ever!" said Stella, in a low tone.
"WeIl-perhaps 1t will be ell the better
for US to keep together" said the Major.
Spur up, men-drive your nags to the
uttermost; Wen change horses again
when we get to the Woods!"
The rangers obeyed; and the party,
keeping on at their topmost speed, soon
reached the spot where Jack Malerson
and his gang had been left.
That worthy and his band were in a
precious ill-humOr-stiff and sore with
the bonds that confined them; but all
safe.
"Hurry and get IN the fresh horses and
change your saddles!" cried Mccullough
to his men; "we've no time to lose
herel"
$50 you've got the girl, have you?
l S'pose you'll let US 60 now, won't your"
asked Malerson.
"No-curse you, no! Wen leave you
here for the Comanches 10 play with !"
said the Major, bitterly. "Secure all the
arms AMI ammunition, men; we shall
use every ounce before night, I'm
thinking."
"For heavens sake, unite US before
you go!" groaned the captain. "I'm
almost dead!"
"When you're quite so the world will
be no loser, and hell one devil richer!"
said the Major, as he mounted fresh
horse, which one of his men led up to
him.
"If you won't let me loose, do let one
OF your men give me sip of rum-do it.,
if you've a single bowel OF compassion
left" said Malerson piteously.
Mccullough paid no attention to this
appeal, but rode around and saw that his
men were all ready for a start, and all
mounted upon fresh horses but Stella,
whose tireless steed was still more than
a match for any one in the party. He
gave the word to move on, and once more,
at top speed, they dashed away, hoping
almost against hope to distance the blood
hounds in their rear and to reach the set
Elements in time to receive help before
they could be overtaken.
Away-aWay, scarce pausIng to glance
behind them, they flew, and far IN the
rear, like bowling gang of hungered
wolves, pressed their fierce pursuers.
CHAPTER XIV.
swell, if this isn't cursed fix to be
left in-tied up for a bait for lot of mad
Comanches to prey on-if we were loose,
our horses dead stove up, and never a
chance TO run! This comes Of yielding
to petticoat government and lettin' q
woman have her way! She's bound sure
to lead q man straight to the devil, or
next door, at any rate!"
Thus growled old Jack Malerson as he
saw the rangers ride away.
"You've nobody to blame but Yourself,
Cap'n! You brought the gal amongst US,
and was. first to say, elect her queen!"
said one of his men.
"That's SOL" growled another. "If
we'd minded our own legitimate bust
ness, and cracked cribs, picked pockets
and cut throsts decently at home, we
wouldn't be in this cursed scrape now!"
81 know it's my fault, men-I'm not
denying it," said the Captain. "Bu5 if